Lydia Schrandt is a writer, editor, and award-winning photographer currently based in Houston. She’s a contributor for USA TODAY 10Best and serves as the first chair of the Editors Council of the Society of American Travel Writers. Her work has appeared in Draft, Time Out Beijing, Travel+, USA TODAY, San Francisco Chronicle, and others.
Lydia Schrandt is a writer, editor, and award-winning photographer currently based in Houston. She’s a contributor for USA TODAY 10Best and serves as the first chair of the Editors Council of the Society of American Travel Writers. Her work has appeared in Draft, Time Out Beijing, Travel+, USA TODAY, San Francisco Chronicle, and others.
Hi, I'm Lydia!Lydia Schrandt is a writer, editor, and award-winning photographer currently based in Houston. She’s a contributor for USA TODAY 10Best and serves as the first chair of the Editors Council of the Society of American Travel Writers. Her work has appeared in Draft, Time Out Beijing, Travel+, USA TODAY, San Francisco Chronicle, and others.
Hi, I'm Lydia!Lydia Schrandt is a writer, editor, and award-winning photographer currently based in Houston. She’s a contributor for USA TODAY 10Best and serves as the first chair of the Editors Council of the Society of American Travel Writers. Her work has appeared in Draft, Time Out Beijing, Travel+, USA TODAY, San Francisco Chronicle, and others.
The Barossa Valley is more than just rolling hillsides and outstanding vineyards. This scenic part of the Australian countryside is also home to some of the nation’s most beautiful, picturesque towns. Here are a few to add to your itinerary when you visit this Australian wine region.
Ranked among the prettiest towns in Australia, Hahndorf is the area’s oldest German settlement, founded by Prussian pioneers in 1839. The town’s buildings reflect this heritage with their half-timbered style. Located just 16 miles (26 kilometers) southeast of Adelaide, Hahndorf is easy to visit on a day trip to the wine country.
Founded in 1840 and surrounded by vineyards, this settlement—among the oldest in the region—has a charming main street complete with a traditional Germany bakery and quirky souvenir shops. See the town from above aboard a helicopter tour.
Nuriootpa, or Nuri for short, serves as the commercial center of the Barossa Valley. Once an Aboriginal bartering place, the busy town is also home to the regionally famous Wolf Blass winery, where visitors can tour the vineyards and learn about the winemaking process.
If Nuri is the Barossa Valley’s commercial hub, Tanunda is its cultural heart. This German settlement teems with cafés, restaurants, bakeries, and cellar doors, as well as four Lutheran churches. Many of the valley’s best wineries lie just outside of town.
While founded by an Englishman, George Fife Angas, this charming town maintains a German feel. It even has a wurst shop that’s been selling more than a dozen varieties of German sausages since 1939. The town plays host to the Barossa Farmers Market each Saturday.
Several notable wineries lie within walking distance of Marananga, situated in one of the most scenic parts of the Barossa. The local brass band practices each Tuesday evening, and the cream-spired Gnadenfrei St. Michael’s Lutheran Church is a favorite among photographers.
Visiting this small town is like stepping into Scotland, thanks to the numerous Scottish immigrants who call Greenock home. While there’s plenty of excellent wine pouring in town, Greenock is also known for a microbrewery housed in a 19th-century wheat store.
